Adaptive Weather Routing for Voyage and Fleet Performance OptimizationAdaptive Weather Routing for Voyage and Fleet Performance Optimization
Shipowners are facing the challenges of meeting CII and the EU Emissions Trading Scheme but Ascenz Marorka has an innovative digital solution to help with compliance.
June 12, 2023

Sponsored by Ascenz Marorka
Introduction
Over the last years and months, we have witnessed an unprecedented pressure on the maritime industry to adopt environmentally friendly measures. In this respect, 2023 is a turning point with entering into force of the CII regulations. Yet, this year is just one among many others still to come with all the new regulations already adopted or being adopted (EU ETS, Fuel EU Maritime…).
These are challenging but exciting changes. However, experience has shown us that the most efficient way to drive the change, is to align environmental and economic considerations. Ascenz Marorka provides innovative digital solutions that answer these two concerns with clear benefits. Our advanced Adaptive Weather Routing for Voyage and Fleet Performance Optimization is one of these.
Vessel routing is a critical task for safety and performance
Route-planning and optimisation involves juggling many constraints related to safety, operations and compliance. For ship captains, this is an essential and complex task that requires the aid of a decision-supporting tool to give them confidence in their decisions and support execution.
Ascenz Marorka has developed an advanced route optimisation solution that is capable of advising the best route by optimising numerous parameters and respecting a large number of operational constraints. The solution is suitable for all types of vessels and all types of propulsions and fuels. Furthermore, combined with the other features of Ascenz Marorka Platform, it offers a powerful tool for all the stakeholders to collaborate to reach the organization’s operational and economic objectives.
Among the optimisation options, we can highlight optimisation of:
Voyage duration
Voyage distance
Fuel consumption
Cost (including fuel, daily cost, canals, carbon tax…)
Emissions (specific to each fuel)
Ship motions (Parametric / Asynchronous rolling, surf-riding/broaching-to, successive high-wave attack…)
For LNG carriers, there are specific advanced features:
Sloshing prediction
LNG cargo loss prediction (while complying with the discharge terminal constraints)
Our proprietary algorithm is highly flexible and can be customised with any cost function giving a competitive advantage to our customers.
Furthermore, the algorithm takes into consideration many constraints such as:
Ship dimensions for navigational constraints
Weather limitations
Engine limitations
Cargo types restrictions
Specials areas (for regulation or safety)
Traffic Separation Schemes
Maximum CII (Carbon Intensity Index)
As far as CII is concerned, the route optimisation module in particular, and overall platform in general, offer all the features requires to manage the operational implications for the different stakeholders. Indeed, the new regulations require the ship owner and the charterer to collaborate closely not only to monitor but also to optimise the CII score of the vessels. Special contractual clauses will have to be activated in case the CII score starts falling below the agreed limit obliging the two parties to agree on operational corrective measures. Thanks to its predictive capabilities (fuel consumption, CII, distance…), the route optimisation module can play a key role in that framework by offering a collaborative platform for all the parties.
Depending on the optimisation criteria selected by the user, the routes can be very different. In the above example, we see three routes corresponding to three differents criteria:
Least fuel in orange
Shortest distance in purple
Lowest total cost in blue
In this simulation, other parameters has been set and taken into consideration like the daily costs, the fuel costs, the minimum speed and maximum speed. In this example, the savings achieved in the “lowest cost” scenario in comparison with the “shortest distance” scenario is about 10%.
In order to provide the most accurate advice, the software uses the vessel’s digital twin built based on the available vessel data and parameters. It takes into account the sailing conditions (e.g. draft, speed, fuel…) and the environmental conditions (e.g weather factors). This can include the vessel’s dimensions, sea trials, noon reports, maintenance records, sensor data…
To deliver the best performance the algorithm favours constant power profiles. In fact, when a vessel meets adverse weather conditions, such as high significant waves, strong wind and currents, it must output more power and thus consume more fuel to maintain its speed and revolutions per minute (RPM). Rather than allowing the power and the fuel consumption to spike, the software recommends a RPM that stabilizes them while respecting the voyage commercial constraints.
Last but not least, up-to-date Traffic Separation Schemes (TSS) are taken into account to offer the most realistic route possible, ready to be used by the crew. In fact, this reduces the captain’s burden adapting the route to navigational constraints and increases the trust in the suggested routes and the overall solution. Furthermore, the more the route is amended for commercial or safety reasons, the higher the risk of deviation from the performance optimum.
Conclusion
Our Adaptive Weather Routing solution together with the rest Ascenz Marorka features offers a comprehensive platform for voyage and fleet Performance optimization. Our customers benefit also from the advice and the support of outstanding professionals with great experience in navigation, fleet management, vessel performance management and LNG.
About Ascenz Marorka
Ascenz Marorka, a GTT brand, is a leading provider of digital solutions for Smart Ships in the maritime industry, offering the one of the most comprehensive, innovative and reliable digital platform for ship owners and charterers around the world. Ascenz Marorka portfolio comprises solutions for LNG Cargo Management, Electronic Fuel Monitoring, Vessel Performance Management, Emissions Monitoring, Operational and Regulatory Reporting, Weather Routing… More details on the company and the products at: https://ascenzmarorka.com
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